(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a signaling device, in particular to a signal pillar for indicating at least one operating state of industrial equipment, such as a machine, plant, vehicle or the like with an optical and/or acoustic signal element wherein a transmitting unit is additionally provided with a transmitter for the wireless data transfer to a receiver. More particularly the invention pertains to a signal pillar having a transmitting unit of a signaling device arranged in an exchangeable module.
(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 C.F.R. 1.97 and 1.98
Signaling devices, in particular signal pillars, are in widespread use for indicating the operating states of industrial equipment, such as machines, plants or vehicles. They serve first and foremost to indicate malfunctions of such machines or plants, so that the operating personnel can detect and eliminate them. In addition, these signaling devices can also signal operating states that pose a danger to the environment or persons in the environment.
In order to maximize the capacity of machines or plants, they are usually operated continuously. At many production facilities, such machines are essentially fully automated, so that only a handful of operators and monitors are provided. Since it will here inevitably not be possible to monitor individual machines or plants at all times, there might well be undetected malfunctions, accompanied by associated negative side effects, such as an operational failure, or even hazardous situations.
The market offers machines in which the controller (e.g., an SPS controller) is hardwired to a communications network, in order to transfer information to an operator or maintenance technician. The disadvantage to this model is that the machine controller and communications network must be hardwired at the machine location, and corresponding efforts must also be made to adjust the entire machine controller.
Publication DE 100 58 695 discloses a signal pillar having a radio module that is connected to a receiver. In this signal pillar, the radio module is always allocated to a specific signal pillar, or at least to a specific signal element. In many applications, however, remote monitoring is only required during certain operating phases, while a conventional signal pillar is sufficient in other operating phases. When using signal pillars according to prior art, one or more radio modules are also provided in the operating phases where they are not required. As a result, a corresponding additional effort is required.